Dear advertisers, marketers & others in charge of sounds on TV:
During a recent episode of Modern Family, there were no less than four doorbells in a single half hour of television. In my house, that translates to four instances of insane barking and general chaos. (One of these days, we’ll get over that doorbell mania.) I could barely get through the show.
Then, while I was watching the Oscars on Sunday, I saw a Hyundai commercial featuring the beeping of a dying smoke detector. (Apparently, this one has been around for a while, but I guess I have managed to skip over it until now. Thank you, DVR.) Luckily, Bella was upstairs at the time – nothing turns her into a neurotic mess faster than that beep. Tavish woke up, but then I muted it.
A tipster on Facebook mentioned that they read an article saying that marketers were including these sounds on purpose. The goal? To engage homes with dogs. Um, more like enrage. Or torture. At least in my house.
The video below is an extremely accurate depiction of how I feel every single time that Hyundai commercial comes on or there’s a doorbell on TV. (Don’t watch it where any dogs can hear it, okay?)
I used to assume that you just didn’t realize the chaos you were unleashing in my house. Now that I know your actions might just be premeditated, I’m feeling pretty grouchy. Be warned, advertisers. If you intentionally use these dog-annoying sounds in your commercial, I will remember your brands… but not in a good way.
Please. Make it stop.
Sincerely,
A Concerned Member of the Dog-Having Public
Readers, do these sounds cause chaos in your house? Do you also wish that advertisers would just cut it out? Let’s band together!
Time to change your viewing habits, I’d say. I’ve never heard a doorbell on Community. 🙂
Nothing has made me appreciate having a dog with no guarding instincts more than fluffy-tailed silence when the doorbell rings.
Pamela | Something Wagging This Way Comes recently posted..14 Alternative Uses for a Dog
Six seasons and a movie!
Oh, how I wish Honey could teach Bella & Tavish that it’s no big deal… 🙂
Yay for Community! Glad I am not the only person in love with that show!
Kristine recently posted..Is Shiva a “Sound” Dog?
Luckily for us, we have never lived in a house with a working doorbell so that sound means nothing to Shiva. However, any type of knocking sound, even if it’s just me knocking accidentally on the counter, has her up and barking at the door. We’ve worked on this off and on but I guess it doesn’t irritate me enough to work on it more. I kind of like the fact that she barks when someone knocks on the door. Half the time I don’t even know there is someone there until I hear her. Shiva is our version of a door bell. 🙂
Kristine recently posted..Is Shiva a “Sound” Dog?
You know, we didn’t have a doorbell until three years ago, but even when we lived in an apartment Bella would bark at the bell on TV. She must have had experience with them in a previous life.
She also freaks out when there’s knocking, though I’ve noticed it’s gotten worse now. Even when I just sit a glass down on a coaster that will occasionally set her off.
Oh….that Modern Family. Felix was a wreck. Kol on the other hand was more concerned that Felix was concerned…go figure!
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It is funny how they team up – when one starts, the other helps even if they aren’t sure why they’re barking!
Dogs need to remind us that they are always on duty as watchdogs even when there is no real threat of actual zombies ringing the actual doorbell.
jan recently posted..What breed gets into the most poison substances?
Very true. 🙂
AY. MEN. We stopped watching TV a few years back, and we disconnected our doorbell. But y’know what? Our dogs bark at everything else! Leaves blowing across the yard, the neighbors opening their car door, phantom squirrels … *sigh* A dog’s gotta bark.
Flea recently posted..Darth Vader is Ready for Snow. Spring, Go Away!
Your dogs sound like mine!
If they want to engage me they’d best include some barking dogs or meowing cats!
Oh, we’ve been there! Morgan gets fired up and then Küster gets going because Morgan is going!
houndstooth recently posted..A Few Of Blueberry’s Favorite Things
It’s like a domino effect!
We have doorbell reactions occasionally, but for the most part they are just couch potatoes. They can however hear a squirrel cross the lawn or a dog walk down the street and THAT will rouse them from their dreams. I say we boycott the products, call for a facebook revolt. 🙂
Jodi recently posted..This ‘N That Thursday, The Video Edition
I’m in!
Dexter always barks at the 60 Minutes ticking clock. He also loves looking, and sometimes barking, at the ravens when we are watching Game of Thrones.
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Dexter is the best. For real. 🙂
Rita actually became desensitized over the course of that episode of Modern Family. The 1st doorbell – absolute chaos. The 2nd, just a bit of barking. The 3rd, a concerned look. By the 4th, she didn’t even lift her head. Maybe I should try ringing my doorbell over and over again until she becomes desensitized to the real thing too!
Jackie Bouchard recently posted..Mirth Watch Thursday: Your Doggy Doppelganger
It didn’t work for my two, but perhaps I should try it too. 😉
I love this post! Not all TV doorbells get my dogs, so you never know when the pandemonium will break out. Jimmy is much more reactive to animals on the screen, Wilson never notices them.
The worst for us is the real doorbell. We have teenagers next door and they think it is very funny to ring the bell 10 times instead of just once. Both dogs run in place for several seconds on the hard wood floor, finally get traction, fly for the door, Jimmy bites Wilson on the way there because he is so over-stimulated, and then they keep barking for another few minutes. I also hate it when the UPS guy has to ring the bell, instead of just leaving the package. Fortunately it’s just once, but it still kicks the beehive!
Taryn recently posted..Mr.Indepenent
Those teenagers are evil!
The thought that they might be doing this on purpose irritates the heck out of me. Of course, I suppose we could look at it as a training opportunity – doorbell sound = yummy treat suddenly falls from the sky – but still, as a marketing strategy that’s just annoying.
Amy@GoPetFriendly recently posted..Ruffwear Swamp Cooler Wins GoPetFriendly.com’s Best in Show at Global Pet Expo
Haha – so true. My dog is usually set off by knocks on doors though since we don’t have a doorbell I don’t think she knows that they mean someone is at the door.
Ann Paws recently posted..Saturday Photohunt: A Steel-y Coat
LOL I love that episode of Friends!!
And I totally feel you! My old cable box used to beep occasionally and it would drive Ellie crazy to the point of shaking and drooling, it was some sort of torture device! That transitioned to any beeps from the TV, but since the old box has been gone over a year, she’s miraculously gotten over all beep sounds thank GOODNESS!
Stacy and Ellie recently posted..Rant: Dumb dog owners
Thank goodness she got past it!
Yes, yes, and yes. Doorbells, chimes, gongs, knocking, banging, barking, other random animal noises, phones ringing, etc.
Oddly, in real life, when the smoke alarm goes off (sad but true: we burn stuff a lot), Desmond doesn’t even flinch. Thanks for saving our lives in a fire, dog! Not.
lauren recently posted..Hurricane Update Part 5: Xanax & The Crate
Haha… Des is so helpful. 😉
Excellent post. I am facing some of these issues as well..
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